Commissioner Jeff Tobolski attends first Forest Preserve meeting since federal raid; ‘no comment’ on investigation

Commissioner Jeff Tobolski returned to county business after a monthslong absence he blamed on health issues.

Tobolski, who doubles as mayor of McCook, attend a meeting Tuesday of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County. It was his first appearance at a county meeting since his McCook Village Hall offices were searched by federal agents in September.

That raid was part of a suburban squeeze that came days after federal agents raided the home and offices of Democratic state Sen. Martin Sandoval. A source told the Chicago Sun-Times the raids were related.

After that visit, Tobolski missed some meetings in McCook, as well some county meetings, before resurfacing recently in the western suburb. Those absences led Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle to ask him to resign from his posts as chair and vice chair of various county board and forest preserve committees.

Tobolski obliged, stepping down from those positions days later, citing “current health issues.”

In part of an email exchange from November obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times, Commissioner Sean Morrison, R-Palos Park, told Tobolski it was “good to hear your back in the saddle.”

Tobolski responded Nov. 6 with: “Post FBI Heart related issues. Released by Phy 10/31!!!!”

At Tuesday’s meeting, Tobolski said his health was “much better. Still under doctor’s care, limited.”

“... It’s my picking or choosing as to how I feel, and I’m back today,” he said.

But Tobolski wouldn’t talk about the federal investigation.

“I’m not going to comment on any aspect of that,” Tobolski said. “I really have no comment further on the situation concerning the investigation or my health so if you have any questions that are related to the board activity today, I’d be happy to answer those.”

Contributing: Jon Seidel

Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times file